It's Getting Late, Late
by Fergusonlicious
Summary: Katniss McMillan loves Craig Ferguson and has finally gotten a guest spot on his show with her book. He's flirty, but he's like that with all the ladies... right?
1. Chapter 1

Authors are thought of as recluses, typing away on their typewriters. More often now they are actually recluses who use computers. Katniss McMillan was quite a pretty woman; 25 years old, high cheekbones, bright, large green eyes and wavy brown hair just past her shoulders. She worried about her looks and body image as much as the next girl, she was curvy but in a maddeningly attractive way. She was probably not what you would picture an author to look like, and that was just fine with her. As long as her writing got praise people could not say that her book was only popular because she was sexy.

Kat could not believe her agent finally got her booked on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. She had written her book simply because it seemed like a fun thing to do, let alone think that it would be even somewhat of a success. Sure Craig's show was on at 12:35am, but he had young adult authors on before, and he would continue to have them on after her. Just because her books were classified as young adult reading didn't mean adults didn't read them too. She ticked off the days on her calendar dutifully for two weeks. She made sure to go shopping for black knee-high boots and something with a little cleavage, because as a fan of Craig, she knew he liked those on women. Then again, what man doesn't?

After what seemed like forever, the day finally came. She had a long talk with her agent that morning, then Kat headed off to the Late Late Show studio, which more or less resembled a shack, but hey, magic was made in this little shack. With a tentative knock on the door she spent the next little while getting her makeup and hair touched up for the high definition cameras and making small talk with the interns and other employees around the show. Turns out a couple of them had read her book, so she signed copies for thim, which Kat was always very happy to do since it had such a surreal feeling to it.

Craig finally arrived while Kat was sitting in the green room sipping tea and making small talk with the various interns and the other guest that night; Zachary Quinto of Heroes and Star Trek fame, there to promote the season finale of Heroes. Kat didn't have much in common with him but he sure was easy on the eyes. When Craig walked into the green room with his coffee, Kat stood up on a reflex and immediately blushed when everyone looked at her.

"Sit down dear, I'm not the queen of England. Well, I am on occasion." Craig said. Everyone giggled. Kat's heart fluttered and she sat down quickly on the couch. Everyone else carried on talking to each other. "Katniss McMillan, pleasure to meet you, I'm Craig Ferguson", he reached out for her hand, she offered it to shake and instead he leaned down and kissed the top of it. "Nice boots" Kat felt her face redden.

"Lovely to meet you, and thank you, I bought them just for the show tonight." Kat beamed.

Craig chuckled and sat down beside her. Craig introduced himself to Zachary and everyone continued talking, a little bit about the show but mostly just general chit chat. Kat thought she saw Craig look at her several times but it was probably just her nerves. After half an hour of talking and laughing, it was time to get ready for the show taping. Kat and Zachary were whisked off to the makeup room for final touch ups, and Craig went off to get ready for his soft open. Kat could hear the audience laughing at Chunky, the warm-up comedian.

"I'm so nervous." Kat said to the woman who was fixing her mascara.

"Don't worry," the make-up lady said "You'll be just fine. Craig can tell you're nervous and he'll do everything to make you comfortable, he does it a lot."

"I know, I still can't help myself!" Kat laughed nervously.

She did not get a response right away, with a final brush of blush, the make-up woman patted Kat on the shoulder, "You'll do fine!"

Kat sat in the green room, watching Craig's soft open on the monitors. She was in stitches by the time the monologue came around. Zachary had gone off somewhere so she was alone for the first time since getting out of bed. When the monologue ended, and Zachary went out, Kat felt the butterflies begin. One of the interns walked by, and Kat must have looked pale because they asked if she was alright, to which she hurredly said yes. Kat enjoyed the interview but when it came time for commercials, and her spot, the butterflies multiplied tenfold.

"My next guest has written a book. A book? What's a book? It's like a very long Twitter, but witty." Craig went with the old faithful joke. "When I have an author on, I like to read a bit of their book because the movie stars get a clip of their television show or movie, so I think it's fair. So here it goes," Craig flipped around the pages and cleared his throat. "The." He smiled. "The adorable Katniss McMillan, everybody!"

Kat hesitated and took a deep breath before stepping out. The crowds she was usually around were just there to have her sign their book or shake her hand, Craig's fans on the other hand were quite rowdy with the help of Chunky to get them applauding as much as he could. She smiled and waved, walking on a cloud toward Craig, he hugged her tightly and she almost forgot to hug him back. Since she was quite short, her face was up against his chest, she could feel his body beneath his suit. Unconsciously she took a sniff of him. All of this happened in a matter of seconds but it felt like they were embracing much longer than that. Katniss' nervousness had waned after this and she headed over to the familiar red chair to sit down. Craig sat after she had, like the gentleman he is, as he tore up his blue note card and tossed confetti into the air.

"Hello love! Nice to see you, and might I say you look fabulous. I love a woman in boots. That's all, preferably." The audience laughed. Kat blushed.

"Thank you so much for having me. And thank you, I knew you liked boots so I bought some for the show." She smiled. Craig already knew this but the audience didn't, so why not share it again?

"You know what daddy likes. So you've written a book have you? How's tha' then?"

"Um.. yes. I love reading, and you've written two books, both of which are fabulous." The audience clapped.

"You're here to promote your book. Not mine" He stood the copy up on his desk, read the title out and slid it across his desk to the end, and scooted closer to Kat in his chair. "Do you like sushi?"

Kat blinked, she knew she wasn't going to talk about her book much, if at all. "Yes but not the raw fish. I'm a bit of a wussy I'm afraid."

"I like octopus..." Cue audience machine laughter. "OH GROW UP!"

Kat laughed, she felt very much at ease now.. She and Craig bantered on about books, reading, Canada, as she was from there. All too soon the producer was starting to point at the timer which was now flashing "00:00".

"Oh just stop it, I do this every day, I know tha' we're out of time you don't have ta keep flopping around li' a fish over there." Craig looked at the camera then grinned his cheeky grin. "We're out of time, then. Will you come back again soon?"

"Absolutely!"

Craig paused, considering. "Tomorrow?" Kat laughed at him. "Katniss McMillan, everybody!" The audience clapped.

Craig leaned over, put his arm over her and kissed her on her shoulder, which immediately sent goosebumps tingling up her back. They kissed each other's cheeks and Craig leaned in to talk to her.

"Are you in L.A. for long? I'd love to meet up and have more time to chat with you." Craig said in a hushed tone.

"Yes I'm here for another couple of weeks doing some book stuff. You know." Kat was melting, hearing his Scottish burr in her ear; his accent was much thicker when he was not talking to his audience. Craig laughed. She could feel his breath on her face and neck. More goosebumps joined the party.

"I'd also like to have you back on the show, write another book will you?" Craig said.

"Only if you write another one too!" Kat shot back. Craig smiled. "I'd better go so you can finish the show."

"Oh yes, tha'. I'll talk to you back stage then." He kissed her on the cheek again. Kat smiled and stepped off to a smattering of applause from the audience members who hadn't gone for a bathroom break.

After a few minutes, Craig was done and the audience had filed out, cleanup started. Zachary had left pretty much immediately after Craig finished the show but as a fan Kat decided to stick around to see how things worked. She sat on a chair with a bottle of water not wanting to get in the way. She had her nose in a book when she noticed someone was standing infront of her.

"Oh! Hi!" She said to Craig. She looked up and down him, he had changed out of his suit into some black jeans and a plain navy blue button down shirt. He looked fantastic.

"Sorry to interrupt my dear." He extended his hand and she took it, allowing him to stand her up. "I thought you might like my telephone number and e-mail so we can keep in touch while you are here and after you leave." Kat took the piece of paper with Craig's information scrawled on it and smiled. She tucked it into her book for a bookmark.

"I don't have a pen or paper, and sorry but I'm not tearing a page out of my book."

"That's alrigh'." He tucked her arm under his so they were arm in arm. "Let's get you some then." Craig grinned. He turned and walked down the hall with her. Kat noticed nearly all of the staff had left, she must have been reading longer than she thought she had.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Craig asked. Kat looked at him and nodded happily. "Me too, you're a lovely girl Kat." He looked into her eyes as he said this.

Kat suddenly felt wobbly on her legs. Craig's gorgeous blue eyes were looking at her, searching her for something but she wasn't sure what. Unsure how to break the spell she blinked and smiled. She hoped he hadn't noticed her sudden lapse. "You are too kind! I am so happy you had me on your show, no one else has authors on unless they are celebrities. Most of them probably shouldn't quit their day job, either."

Craig chuckled. "Tell me abou' it, when Madonna's books are outselling Dostoyevsky something is amiss." He opened one of the few doors in the hallways and held it open for Kat. "Ladies first."

"In that case, you go ahead." Kat smirked at him. Craig laughed and gently pushed her into his office with his hand around her waist. She blushed a bit at the feel of his hand on her in this way. She shook it off and headed to his desk, finding a pen, "Pink-haired troll on top? Nice." Craig chuckled. Kat found some sticky notes and started to write her information on it. Craig walked toward the desk beside her, close enough to be in her personal space. She could feel the heat from his body against her side. She flushed a bit and finished the rest of her email in a scrawl. She stood up from her leaning position and came face-to-chest with Craig since he was standing so close to her. She caught his scent again and stepped back a bit, then stuck her sticky note on his shirt. "There you go."

Craig smiled, he had been watching her intently. "Thank you dear," He peeled the sticky not off himself and folded it before putting it in his pocket. "shall we do lunch tomorrow before I have to come back t' this crap hole?"

"Of course! You pick though, I have no idea what is good around here."

"Sushi?" He said with a sly grin.

Kat giggled. "Sounds fine to me."

Craig stepped closer to Kat and she felt her stomach do a flip. He smiled down at her and put his arm around her waist, and led her from his office. They walked down the hall toward the exit together. Craig kept his hand on her waist the entire walk. They didn't talk much but it wasn't awkward. Kat felt comfortable with his hand on her now, and was sad when they stepped outside to the parking lot and he let go of her.

"I'd best be off then, and you too. Don't want to be around here when it gets dark. It's scary."

"Call me tomorrow morning? I still don't know where to meet you."

"I'll pick you up from your hotel at 12:30, is that alrigh' with you?" Craig stepped forward and gathered Kat up in his arms for a warm hug.

"That's great!" She said, wrapping her arms around him as well. Craig stepped back a bit and planted a kiss on each of her cheeks, grazing her lips with his cheek as he moved. Kat shuddered. Craig probably noticed but she didn't care. "I'll see you tomorrow afternoon then!" Kat was grinning like the devil.

Craig smiled at her. "See you then, dear." He squeezed her hand and turned to walk towards his car with a short wave to her.

Kat realized she was standing there staring at Craig's rear end as he walked away, she quickly pulled herself together before he looked back, and started to head towards her own car. She hopped in and drove back to her hotel, her mind going a mile a minute.


	2. Chapter 2

Kat woke up at 9am to her cell phone ringing. "Ugh." She rolled over and grabbed it, hitting answer. "What?"

"Well aren't you a bucket of sunshine in the morning. Did I wake you up?"

She sat up in bed and waited a minute for her mind to process the voice coming through her phone. "Craig?" she managed.

"Forget me already?"

"No, no," Kat said as she shook the cobwebs from her head. "I wasn't expecting you to call so early." She got out of bed and walked around the room in her pyjamas in an attempt to wake herself up.

"Well you did ask me to call you in the morning. I take it you aren' much of a morning person?" Kat grunted. Craig laughed. "It's alrigh'. I've been up for an hour and have been putting off calling you as long as I could."

Kat had made her way over to the hot water heater and was putting a teabag into her mug. She smiled at this. "Missed me did you?"

Craig replied with a non-committal noise. "I'll be by to pick you up at 12:30. Hope you're still up for sushi."

"Of course, and I'll wear my boots." She grinned. "I better go grab some breakfast and get myself ready. I'll see you then."

"Alrigh', bye dear."

"Byebye!"

Kat hung up and flopped into bed with a stupid grin on her face. Why was she getting so excited over lunch? It's not like it was a date. Or was it? Craig wouldn't be interested in her, although the way he looked at her last night when they were together after the show was special. Or maybe he was like that with all the ladies, he's awfully flirty. Kat shook her head and tried to get these ideas out of her mind. She made her tea then zipped down to the lobby to grab a bagel and some fruit from the Continental breakfast room.

After eating and showering, Kat started going through her luggage bags to find something to wear. The boots were a given, but what else? She hadn't brought much dressy attire, and what she wore on the show last night was by far the nicest thing she had with her. She settled on a light blue, black and white horizontal striped sundress. She dressed, did her hair and make-up, and still had about an hour to kill before Craig came to get her. Kat decided to get out her laptop and check Twitter. She went straight to Craig's tweets and found herself giggling at some of the things the Robot Skeleton Army said to him. It was very sweet to her how he genuinely appreciated his fans, even though he picks on them sometimes. She lost track of time and her phone rang. "Oh crap, hello?"

"Are you coming, or are you do I have to come up there and get you to?"

Kat totally took this the wrong way, it didn't help that he said it in a near whisper which caused his lovely accent to thicken. Her stomach did a massive flip and she bit her lower lip. "I'll be right down."

"I'll be here."

She hung up, grabbed her purse and dashed out the door. She found Craig standing by his car in the pick up/ drop off area. She smiled at him as she approached, and he looked her up and down. "You look lovely." He clasped her hand in his and then opened the passenger door for her. "Off we go, don't want to be late." Kat got in and he shut the door before coming around.

They made small talk during the drive, which was about 20 minutes, although the traffic was crap so it would have been half that on a better day. They finally arrived, got seated in a booth near the back, and placed their orders.

"No octopus?" Kat asked with a giggle.

"I like the raw fish, but I have to draw the line somewhere. Maybe later." Craig said. Kat raised her eyebrow at him.

They continued chatting, the sushi bar wasn't very busy yet so their lunch was ready rather quickly. By the time Kat got her chopsticks out of the paper package, Craig already had a mouthful of salmon sushi. "Delicious." He said between chewing. Normally a guy speaking with his mouth full was a total turn off, but she knew Craig was just being an ass.

"I'll keep my California roll thanks." She popped one in her mouth as she watched Craig use his chopsticks. The little sticks seemed funny in his large hands but he knew how to use them. Kat shook her head before her mind started wandering again.

"You alrigh'?"

"Yes, just a bit too much wasabi on that one."

Craig laughed at her. "Watch this." He picked up a blob of wasabi about the size of a small marble and brought it toward his mouth.

Kat's eyes grew wide "Are you insane? Don't!"

Craig ate it and immediately started coughing, and laughing, and reaching for his water. Kat stared at him and once he regained his composure they both broke into laughter causing the other patrons to glare at them.

"People in LA don't like seeing other people have more fun than them." Craig smirked as he said this, his hand on his chest.

"Apparently not. Let's finish up and get going."

They finished up the rest of their meal, giggling and judging the other patrons who kept on looking at them. They fought over the bill, Craig insisted since that he invited her that he should pay. Kat sighed and gave in. Craig walked ahead of Kat, and held the door for her. She smiled and scooted out ahead of him. They walked together to his car, where he stopped short and grabbed Kat's hand. "Thanks for coming to lunch with me, you're a delightful woman." He leaned down, and Kat thought he was going to kiss her, she froze, but he kissed her on the cheek. Feeling a bit disappointed, she didn't have time to collect herself before Craig stood back up and saw her staring at him with her lips slightly parted. He smiled a lopsided smile, "Oh alrigh' then."

He squeezed her hand and leaned down again, this time planting a soft kiss on her lips. Kat's eyes fluttered and her legs felt like jelly. She squeezed his hand and kissed him back. All too soon it was over. They looked at each other and smiled sheepishly before Craig walked around to the other side of his car.

Craig pulled out of the parking lot, and was driving for a few minutes before anything was said. Kat was watching him from the corner of her eye, the lines in his forehead creasing slightly, she could tell he was thinking. He liked his lips before talking which made Kat draw in a sharp breath. "Since lunch was shorter than expected, do you want to come by my place for a little after lunch latte?" Kat broke out into laughter at this. "Wha?" Craig looked at her sideways with a lopsided toothy smile.

Kat giggled a bit more. "We could just stop at Starbucks if you want a latte that badly."

"I got a new latte maker. I want to try it out but can't be bothered to clean the fuckin' thing just to make one cup."

"So make one extra extra jumbo latte! You wouldn't need another one for the rest of the day!" Kat looked at Craig and jittered her arms to show how he'd be after a gigantic latte. He laughed at her. "I'd love to come over, I'm just trying to drive you nuts." She put her hand on his shoulder and caught his eyes with hers. Biting her lip, she trailed her index finger down his shoulder and arm. Craig's eyes kept flicking from her hand to the road, but he was stone-faced. She could tell he was distracting him, which was probably not a good idea in LA traffic, so she brought her hand to rest on his knee.


End file.
